Healthy Dent County Executive Director Sherry Lea has announced that Kim Shelton has accepted the grant-funded position of Community Wellness Coordinator. A $179,000 grant was received and will enable Healthy Dent County to coordinate community partners and develop action plans that address barriers to healthy eating and active living for adults and children in our community. Currently the grant is for one year, however it has the potential to extend for five years. Shelton will work closely with Melissa DuBois, the Salem R-80 School District Wellness Coordinator. DuBois was recently hired from a similar MFH grant. The two new positions will collaborate in order to ensure effort alignment, steady progress, and ongoing communication related to community childhood obesity efforts. While schools are an ideal focus for MFH’s Healthy Schools Healthy Communities initiative, there are many external social and environmental factors that impact a child’s wellness. For that reason, the initiative includes a community focus in conjunction with school-focused efforts. Community efforts around childhood obesity prevention will also have a local and/or organizational policy focus, engaging school administrators, local legislators, and state legislators to the extent possible in order to enforce policies and regulations that are likely to facilitate and sustain improved physical activity and healthy eating environments.

Wal-Mart and The Salvation Army have joined together this holiday season to help make a child’s Christmas brighter. An “Angel Tree” will be placed at Wal-Mart with the names and ages of children in our community that need Christmas gifts. Shoppers can adopt an angel from the tree by following these steps: First, select a tag representing a specific child; second, shop for gifts based on the parent’s suggestions. You do not have to purchase everything, this is just a guideline; and third, bring the unwrapped gifts to the Wal-Mart Service Desk along with the angel tag by December 18th. All gifts will be distributed to your adopted “angel” on Thursday, December 20th. If you have any questions or need more information, please contact The Salvation Army at 729-8163.

An accident occurred on Saturday at noon in Dent County on County Road 5015 just east of County Road 5010. According to the highway patrol report, 23-year old Joseph Simmons of Salem was driving a 1997 Chevrolet Cavalier when he crested a hill and struck an immobilized 2008 Toyota Yarus driven by 55-year old Linda Richardson of Salem. Richardson suffered minor injuries and was taken by ambulance to the Salem Memorial District Hospital. They were both wearing seat restraints at the time of the accident. The Toyota sustained minor damage and was removed from the scene by Whitaker’s Towing. The Chevrolet sustained minor damage but was driven from the scene.

The start of the Cabool Varsity Lady Basketball Tournament in Cabool has been pushed back to Tuesday because of the adverse weather conditions. The Salem Lady Tigers will begin the Cabool Tournament as the third seed. The Lady Tigers will face the 6th seeded Ava Lady Bears at 8:30 PM Tuesday night in Cabool. With a win Salem will play the winner of second seeded Mountain Grove Lady Panthers and the 7th seeded Willow Springs Lady Bears on Wednesday at 7:30. An opening round loss will mean a game against the loser of that game on Thursday at 7:30.

The Salem Boys basketball game with Pacific Friday night was postponed due to the adverse weather conditions. No makeup date has yet been set. The Tigers will open their home season tomorrow night against West Plains.

Riding a 46-carry, 304-yard, four-touchdown effort from Tre Mason, Auburn sewed up the SEC title and likely earned itself a chance to play for a national crown with an emphatic 59-42 victory over Missouri at the Georgia Dome. Fifth-ranked Missouri (11-2) received 301 passing yards and three touchdowns from quarterback James Franklin, who rushed for a score as well, but its usually stingy defense met its match in an Auburn spread attack that ran at will all throughout the afternoon.

The University of Missouri football team (11-2 overall and Southeastern Conference East Division champions) has accepted an invitation to play in the 2014 AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic, set for Jan. 3rd in Arlington, Texas at the world-renowned AT&T Stadium. Kickoff for the game, which will pit the Tigers against former conference foe Oklahoma State (10-2, 2nd place in Big 12), is set for 7 p.m. (central time) and will be televised nationally on FOX.

Jabari Brown led four Missouri players in double figures with 22 points and the Tigers extended their home dominance with an 80-71 win over the 18th-ranked UCLA Bruins. Jordan Clarkson posted his fifth consecutive 20-point game, finishing with 21 in the Tigers' (9-0) 24th straight victory at Mizzou Arena, the longest home winning streak in the nation. Earnest Ross scored 20 points on 5-of-11 3-point shooting for Missouri, which overcame an eight-point halftime deficit. Missouri will host Western Michigan on Sunday.

Andrew Cogliano scored a pair of goals and Frederik Andersen made 26 saves, as Anaheim rode an early three-goal burst to dispatch St. Louis, 5-2, at Scottrade Center. Jaden Schwartz and Patrik Berglund tallied for the Blues, who will be in Winnipeg to play the Jets on Tuesday.

Carson Palmer completed 27-of-32 passes for 269 yards and a touchdown to lead the Arizona Cardinals to a 30-10 win over the St. Louis Rams at University of Phoenix Stadium. The Rams will host the Saints on Sunday.

Dexter McCluster returned a punt for a touchdown and Quintin Demps did the same on a kickoff to highlight a 38-point first half that led the Kansas City Chiefs to a 45-10 rout of the Washington Redskins Sunday at a wintry FedEx Field. The Chiefs will be in Oakland to play the Raiders this Sunday afternoon.

Funeral services for Mary E. Simpson of Salem, age 85, will be held today at 1:00 at the Wilson Mortuary Salem Chapel. Visitation will be held from 11:00 until service time. Interment will be in the Jadwin Cemetery. Memorials may be made to the Jadwin Cemetery.

Funeral services for Dorleska Johns of Salem, age 95, will be Tuesday morning at 11:00 at the Wilson Mortuary in Salem. Visitation will be from 10:00 until service time. Interment will be in the Cedar Grove Cemetery.

Funeral services for Mildred M. "Millie" Thompson of Ballwin, MO, age 83, will be held Wednesday at 1:00 at the Wilson Mortuary Salem Chapel. Visitation will be from 11:00 in the morning until service time on Wednesday. Interment will be in the Miner Cemetery. Memorials may be made to the Alzheimer's Association.

Funeral services for Kelly Pryor of Boss, age 53, will be held Friday at 2:00 at the Boss Assembly of God Church. Visitation will be Thursday from 2:00 until 8:00 at the Wilson Mortuary in Salem and from 11:00 until service time at the church. Interment will be in the Boss Cemetery.